Narva Castle

About this place

Narva Castle, also known as Hermann Castle, is a medieval fortress in the city of Narva in eastern Estonia, on the bank of the river of the same name. Crowned by the square Hermann Tower and now home to the Narva Museum, it is the city's leading landmark. It was established around 1256, when the area was under Danish rule, beginning as a wooden stronghold where the river met an old road, with the first full stone fortifications following in the early 14th century. In 1346 King Valdemar IV of Denmark sold northern Estonia to the Livonian Order, which rebuilt the structure as a convent house. The Order completed the Hermann Tower in response to the founding of Ivangorod fortress on the opposite bank in 1492. You see a massive building that has largely kept its original ground plan, with big wings around a central courtyard, and a western court whose corners hold two reconstructed cannon towers. From the castle you look across the river to Ivangorod, a rare sight of two fortresses facing each other. Inside are the museum's stone rooms with deep windows. The castle lies about 195.2 km from Tallinn and about 49.6 km from Valaste Waterfall in a straight line. The river is the border between Estonia and Russia, so check the latest travel advice before coming, carry ID and keep away from crossing facilities. Check seasonal closure days before you visit.